Killswitch Engage

Founded in 1999, this American metalcore band raised a lot of eyebrows with their self-titled 2000 debut. KsE’s music exhibits all the genre traits you’d expect: they mix growls, clean vocals and screams while the soaring choruses are often clean-sung and anthemic. The frequent breakdowns, power chords and rapid-fire drum patterns: it’s all there. Contrary to other metalcore bands, though, KsE’s love of thrash and melodic death metal has them crossing traditional genre boundaries. Original singer Jesse Leach returned to the fold in 2012. While their first full-length after Leach’s return, 2013’s ‘Disarm the Descent’, is different from Jones-era Killswitch, the album consolidated the band’s status as the genre’s top dogs by recapturing the songwriting momentum that was lost somewhat on their previous recording. On ‘Incarnate’ (2016), the band chugs and thrashes like never before with guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz at the helm, while Leach’s vocals ooze passion. Is your passion still alive? (#GMM18)